Strong wind, storms blamed for 11 deaths in Moscow; 70 hurt

'There are casualties as a result of the storm, more than 40 people applied for medical attention. The storm uprooted hundreds of trees and severely damaged buildings and infrastructure throughout the Russian capital. It was the deadliest weather event in the Russian capital in at least 19 years, according to the Interfax news service.

"We see that the Moscow government is promptly taking all the necessary disaster relief steps", he added.

The hurricane that struck Moscow City on Monday afternoon was unprecedented, Moscow City mayor Sergei Sobyanin told TASS.

"Winds gusted as high as 70 miles per hour during the storm, which is rare for Moscow", meteorologist Brian Donegan said on weather.com.

The winds brewed up suddenly, reaching speeds of nearly 80 kilometres per hour, felling thousands of trees and causing widespread damage to cars.

The city's investigative committee said "hurricane winds" had caused hundreds of trees to fall in various parts of the city, killing five pedestrians. The winds also disrupted train service and delayed dozens of flights at Moscow's airports.

In the Moscow Region, the thunderstorm blew down over 3,000 trees and damaged roofs of 42 houses and maternity clinics, as well as 322 cars. Rescue efforts are ongoing, trying to clear fallen trees from the city's streets and assisting victims.